Cushioned underframe arrangement for railway cars

ABSTRACT

A cushioned underframe of the stationary and sliding sill type includes a cushion pocket within which a hydraulic cushion is supported. The cushion is connected to a carrier plate which provides for installation of the cushion and cover as an integral unit with the cover secured to the stationary sill.

United States Patent 1191 Peterson et al.

[4 Feb. 12, 1974 CUSHIONED UNDERFRAME ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY CARS [75] Inventors: William H. Peterson, Homewood,

111.; George L. Rousseau, Munster,

Ind.

[73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 11].

[22] Filed: Oct. 16, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 298,112

[52] U.S. C1. 213/8 [51] Int. Cl. B6lg 9/08 [58] Field of Search 213/8, 43

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES'PATENTS 2,330,706 9/1943 Hankins et a1 213/8 3,028,019 4/1962 Settles et a1. 213/43 3,216,591 11/1965 Peterson 213/43 3,534,661 10/1970 Hettlinger 213/8 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorney, Agent, or FirmHilmond O. Vogel 5 7] ABSTRACT A cushioned underframe of the stationary and sliding sill type includes a cushion pocket within which a hydraulic cushion is supported. The cushion is connected to a carrier plate which provides for installation of the cushion and cover as an integral unit with the cover secured to the stationary sill.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures CUSHIONED UNDERFRAME ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY CARS- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to railway cars of the cushioned underframe type employing a sliding sill.

2 Description of the Prior Art The prior art is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,330,706, Sept. 28, 1943, US. Pat. No. 3,028,019, Apr. 3, 1962 and US. Pat. No. 3,216,591, Nov. 9, 1965. In the installation of hydraulic cushions, the cushions must be inserted through the bottom opening of a sliding sill which has a cushion pocket. The cushion device is installed between the stationary and sliding sill lugs which are relatively longitudinally spaced. In order to install 4 the cushion it must be slightly compressed so that the over-all length is slightly less than the longitudinal dimension between the respective sill lugs in order that the cushion can easily be inserted between the sill lugs and stops. This is difficult to achieve in view of the constant tension exerted by the return spring of the cushion, which tends to spread apart the end plates to their maximum length. In some instances yoke devices or special appliances such as known in the aforementioned prior art patents have been utilized to precompress the cushions sufiiciently so they can be readily inserted into the space provided.'Such devices, however, may be readily available .in the manufacturing shops but unavailable at classification yard sites or other outof-the-way places where a cushion may have to be removed and reinstalled. With the present arrangement these problems are eliminated.

' SUMMARY. or THE INVENTION It is a prime object to provide an improved cushion and carrier plate arrangement wherein the carrier plate and cushion may be installed as a unit with the cushion in a precompressed condition so that it readily fits into the cushion pocket betweenthe stationary and sliding sill. After installation the cushion is released from its carried p'ositionon the carrier and cover plate is then functional within the cushion pocket. The arrangement is achieved by connecting the cylinder head and piston end plate to the carrier plate or cover in a pretensioned condition. This is achieved by providing slots at opposite ends of the cover plate and by initially compressing ends of cushion slightly to pretension the same and inserting cap screws through the slots and into the cylinder head and piston plate for rigidly securing the cushion to the carrier plate for installation. In the pretension condition the cover plate is moved upwardly to close the elongated opening provided in the stationary sill and the cover plate screws are applied with the cushion correctly seated between the sliding sill stop and lugs and stationary stops. In this position the cap screws are then removed and the cushion is now functional.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view partially in section of a midportion of a cushioned underframe;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view taken along the 'ine 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

" includes a cylinder 38. The cylinder 38 is provided at FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; 7 FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a hydraulic cushion device connected to a carrier or cover plate prior to installation; and

FIG. 6 is a detail cross sectional view of a cover plate having portion of a cylinder head and end plate connected thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A railway car underframe 10 comprises a stationary I sill member 11 on which the car body (not shown) is conventionally supported. The stationary sill member 11 comprises vertical laterally spaced sill walls 12 having upper and lower flanges 13. A top plate 14 is connected to the upper flanges l3 and bottom platesv 15 by means of spacers 16 and bolt and nut fasteners 32 are connected to the lower flanges 13 in longitudinally spaced relation. The bottom plates 15 are suitably spaced to provide an elongated opening 18 which is normally closed by a cover and carrier plate 19 which, as best shown in FIG. 4, is spaced from the lower flanges 13 by means of spacers 19 and being secured thereto by bolt and nut fasteners 18. As indicated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, a sliding sill 20 comprises laterally spaced vertical side walls 21 connected by a top wall 22, the vertical walls 21 having connected thereto flanges 23. The flanges 23 slide on the bottom walls 15 and guides 24 are suitably connected to the sill walls 12 and are engaged by wear plates 25 connected to the sliding sill walls 21. The opening 18 leads into a cushion pocket 26 also having disposed at opposite ends thereof rigid stops 27 rigidly secured to the bottom plate 15, as best shown in FIG. 3. Each rigid stop 27 comprises longitudinally spaced vertical plates 28 connected by top and bottom plates 29 and 30, respectively, with a cen tral vertical plate 31 rigidly secured to the plates 28, 29 and 30. The bolt and nut fasteners 32, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, rigidly secure the rigid stops with re spect to the bottom plates 15 and stationary sill member 11. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the sliding sill top wall 22 is provided with clearance slots 33 to per-. mit sliding of the sliding sill 20 relative to the rigid stops 27. Sliding sill lugs 34, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, are supported for sliding movement with the sliding sill on opposite ends of the cushion pocket. The sill lugs 34 include vertical abutment plates 35 reinforced by gussets 36 connected to the vertical walls 21.

A cushioning unit is generally designated at 37 and oneend with a cylinder head plate 39 and has included thereon a piston 40 connected to a sliding piston rod 41. The piston rod 41 projects outwardly from an end of the piston 40 and has connected thereto an end plate 42. A coiled spring 43 is held captive between the cylinder head plate 39 and the end plate 42 for returning the cushion during operation from a compressed to a neutral position after impacts. The present cushioning unit is similar in function and construction to those shown in aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,216,591. This patent discloses a cushioning unit which includes an open end cylinder having low and high pressure chambers, the low pressure chamber being in a form of a rubber or boot-like reservoir or accumulator. Details of the construction and function of the cushioning unit which is adaptable for the type of arrangement herein disclosed is well described in the aforementioned patent and need not be described in further detail. This type of cushion provides for effective cushioning in that it includes a metering pin and metering orifice arrangement providing for an effective and constant force cushioning action. The particular arrangement'of the hydraulic details of the present cushion device per se is not deemed to be vital to the present invention.

In FIG. 5 the. cushioning unit disclosed is ready for installation into the cushioning pocket. As best shown in FIG. 6, the end plate 42 is provided with a vertical bore 44 within which a cap screw 45 is secured. The cap screw 45 extends through a slotted opening 46 into the threaded bore 44. The other end of the carrier or cover plate 19 is also provided with a slotted opening 47 and a cap screw 48 extends through the slotted opening into a threaded bore 49 for tightly securing the cylinder head 39 at the other end of the cover plate. In connecting the cylinder head 39 and end plate 42 onto the cover plate 19, the cushion is slightly compressed to a dimension which is less than the longitudinal dimension between the lugs 35 and stops 27. The cushion now is lifted upwardly-into the cushion pocket and the carrier plate 19 is secured rigidly to the lower flanges 13 by means of the bolt, nut fasteners 18'. The fasteners 45 and 48 are now removed which permits the spring 43 to expand the cushion whereby the cylinder head 39 and end plate 42 are biased in engagement with the stops 27 and abutment plates 35. Thus, the unit is now in position for operation. Prior to the installation of the unit, as shown in FIG. 5, the strap 50 which is a tension member must be removed by removing the cap screws 51 which extend into the cylinder head and end plate 42. This strap 50 is utilized for transporting the unit from one place to another for maintenance purposes and is removed prior to installation.

OPERATION In operation the cushioning unit functions in a conventional manner as described in the aforementioned patents. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the cushioning unit is in a neutral position. An impact against the left hand end of the sliding sill 20 moves the sliding sill to the right, as shown in FIG. 2. The sill lugs 34 on the left hand side, as shown in FIG. 1, engage the cylinder head 39 and close the cylinder relative to the piston 40, as

best shown in FIG. 2. After the impact ceases, the return spring 43 returns the cushioning to the neutral position shown in FIG. 1. In the event of a cushion impact on the right hand end of the sliding sill, the cushion is again compressed in the manner described, the right hand sill lugs now engaging the end plate 42 and moving the piston 40 to the compressed position.

The installation has been described above. In the event it is desired to remove the cushion in the field and to replace the same with another cushion, the sliding sill is reciprocated a slight extent until the bores 44 and 49 are in registry with slots 46 and 47, respectively. The cap screws 45 and 48 are then positioned against within the bores 44 and 49 and securely tightened to again support the cushioning unit on the cover and carrier plate 19. Since the overall dimension of the cushion is less than the dimension between the sill stops, the cushion can easily be removed upon removal of the bolt and nut arrangements 18'. Thus, it is a simple matter to expeditiously install and remove the cushioning units by utilizing the carrier and cover plate integrally to support and retain the unit in a pretension condition.

We claim:

1. A cushioned underframe for a railway car having a stationary sill including a pair of laterally spaced sill walls,

a top wall connecting sill walls, I

a sliding sill including a top wall and laterally spaced sliding sill side walls supported on said stationary sill,

said sliding sill having a cushion pocket including an opening, 7 I

the improvement of a cushion installation comprising a cover plate for said opening,

a fluid cushion device including a fluid cylinder-having a cylinder head,

a piston and piston rod slidable in said cylinder,

an end plate connected to said piston rod,

a spring assembly disposed between said cylinder head and end plate for urging said piston and rod to an extended neutral position,

sill lugs on said sliding sill at opposite ends of said opening,

stops on said stationary sill at opposite ends of said opening, and

means releasably connecting said device to said cover plate whereby said end plate and cylinder head are foreshorten'ed so that the length of said cushion is no more than the longitudinal dimension between said lugs and stop.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said releasable connecting means including fasteners connecting said cylinder head and plate to said cover plate,

and means releasably connecting said cover plate to said stationary sill.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said fasteners comprising cap screws extending through opening in said cover plate into threaded bores in said cylinder head and end plate.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3, said openings in said cover plate being elongated.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including threaded fasteners connecting said cover plate to said cylinder head and end plate,

removable fasteners connecting said cover plate over said opening with said cylinder head and end plate in the installed position being in engagement with said lugs and stops, and said device being functional upon removal of said releasable connecting means from engagement with said cylinder head and end plate.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 2, including a tension stop removably connected to said cylinder head and end plate to retain said spring in a pretensioned position,

said strap being removable prior to installation of said cushion device in said pocket. 

1. A cushioned underframe for a railway car having a stationary sill including a pair of laterally spaced sill walls, a top wall connecting sill walls, a sliding sill including a top wall and laterally spaced sliding sill side walls supported on said stationary sill, said sliding sill having a cushion pocket including an opening, the improvement of a cushion installation comprising a cover plate for said opening, a fluid cushion device including a fluid cylinder having a cylinder head, a piston and piston rod slidable in said cylinder, an end plate connected to said piston rod, a spring assembly disposed between said cylinder head and end plate for urging said piston and rod to an extended neutral position, sill lugs on said sliding sill at opposite ends of said opening, stops on said stationary sill at opposite ends of said opening, and means rEleasably connecting said device to said cover plate whereby said end plate and cylinder head are foreshortened so that the length of said cushion is no more than the longitudinal dimension between said lugs and stop.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said releasable connecting means including fasteners connecting said cylinder head and plate to said cover plate, and means releasably connecting said cover plate to said stationary sill.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said fasteners comprising cap screws extending through opening in said cover plate into threaded bores in said cylinder head and end plate.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim 3, said openings in said cover plate being elongated.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including threaded fasteners connecting said cover plate to said cylinder head and end plate, removable fasteners connecting said cover plate over said opening with said cylinder head and end plate in the installed position being in engagement with said lugs and stops, and said device being functional upon removal of said releasable connecting means from engagement with said cylinder head and end plate.
 6. The invention in accordance with claim 2, including a tension stop removably connected to said cylinder head and end plate to retain said spring in a pretensioned position, said strap being removable prior to installation of said cushion device in said pocket. 